Puppy Survival Thread - December

[Hellin301]

Day 5 of new puppy and I’m wondering what possessed me to go through all this he’s a little devil at times, most of the time actually with odd moments of cuteness

I had cross words with another dog owner today. I had pup on lead as we were on the edge of the village green near the road. The kids were messing around in the snow and we were minding our own business.

I saw "cross lady" arrive - her dog was pulling her arm off to get to the green and she let it off as soon as they got there. Dog came straight bounding over and started trying to play with mine on lead. Now mine loves to play but it's not appropriate if she's on the lead and right next to a road!! Cross lady shouted her dog loads of times but it didn't listen. She eventually came over looking entirely unconcerned and I asked her to call the dog away. She had to come right up to my feet to get it, all the time it's getting tangled in my lead.

She was huffing and puffing like this was somehow my fault and so I made the mistake of saying she should have the dog on a lead if it has no recall. She told me to F off and that I clearly don't know anything about dogs!! So rude. I retaliated and said I know that dogs on lead should be left alone and certainly know that she shouldn't have to come right up to me to get hers back. I've never used the "stay 2m away from me" line before but I was pretty cross.

The kids were shocked they've never heard me argue with anyone in public before And now I'm a bit scared of running into her again

poor you @newpup123 it's a horrible feeling isn't it! well done for keeping your ground though

we have had a massive surge in puppy chewing this week - skirting boards, tables, chairs, anything he can get his teeth around. I looked in his mouth this morning and can see his molars coming through so that must be what it is. None of his chew toys are working so I'm constantly having to watch what he's doing because he has practically destroyed 2 skirting boards already!

I'm back at work tomorrow and am slightly dreading it. I hesitate to post this without sounding like I'm criticising dp but he is in no way as vigilant as I am in watching him - I also know he doesn't take him on as long a walks as I do on my own with him and I'm concerned at how this will work out but he is good at doing all the socialisation stuff and will take him everywhere. I'll still be doing his early walk in the morning though tbh it does look like another national lockdown is about to happen!

(we're on 22 weeks if anyone is referencing age!)

oh @HappyThursdays I had stupidly thought once the chewing stopped it stopped! Hadn't banked on molars coming through later.

@newpup123 that sounds horrid but well done for making your point. I am super vigilant in the park as puppypup is still building confidence and hates barking (!) but even so have had to ask so many owners to call their dogs - he's always on lead at the moment as we're still working on recall.

I'm looking for sturdy bed recommendations for nearly five month old. He's already chewed through a bed and a cushion. I want something smallish to go in the kitchen that he can settle on (still has a crate so it's not where he'll sleep at night time)

yes apparently it happens between 4-6 months. He's been drooling a lot more and has been noticeably more 'chewy' and his breath smells a bit funny. I had a good examination of his mouth today just to make sure none of the teeth were coming in funny and causing him problems but they all look fine (to the untrained eye) and I can see the big teeth at the back poking through (1 set of the big ones is in but it's the set right at the back that is still pushing its way through!).

He's not whining or crying but his teeth are definitely bothering him more than they were a month ago. Hopefully once the back ones are in, that will be it for the worst bits!

@HappyThursdays
Bitter apple spray from Pets At Home has worked a treat in our house for chewing carpets, skirting boards, curtains etc. I've found we only have to spray it onto the area once and C4pup remembers the bad smell/taste and never bothers again. Would definitely recommend!

Thanks @C4itl - bizarrely this is the first time he has chewed furniture so I will go and get the spray! He isn't crated overnight and doesn't get up and do it so it appears to be a daytime activity, poor drooling boy!

@Puppypuppypuppy we have a cheap bed from pets at home which he likes and then a more expensive donut one that he ignores. If you Google donut ones, have a look and see what you think. It may work for the kitchen. Pup has a special thick dog blanket which we lay down on the floor and he will sleep on that so that may also be an option if it's just for napping.

Suddenly realised Pup is now 6 months so have to consider 2 major things as she is growing up so fast!

1. switch her to 2 meals a day - I think she will hate this, she isn't greedy but definitely lets us know when it is meal time!
2. when to spay - now or after first season? I know there is lots of evidence both ways. It is a shame not to breed her as she is a purebred KC registered Lab and would make gorgeous little puppies, but also I am very aware of the expense, hard work required, and also would feel sad giving any new babies up. I know old fashioned advice says to let bitches have a litter, but that seems insane given how many dogs and puppies are around!

@puppygalore I think some people continue with 3 meals for a bit, especially if they are very active dogs and burn through their food quickly. 2 meals works well if they are being left. I was thinking about this this morning as we are 6 months in a few weeks and I'm going to start cutting down the midday meal and see what happens!

@HappyThursdays thanks that's what I've done starting today, basically halved her lunchtime feed and will make up the difference this evening, see how we go like that for a few days. I'm not planning on leaving her so we can continue 3 meals a day if it works out better for her. I was supposed to start a new job 2 days per week but haven't heard anything in weeks so assuming that's not happening now!

I looked into Perfect Fit harnesses and they worked out very dear. She is ok with the Dog Copenhagen one, doesn't exactly stand still to have it put on, but definitely easier than trying to get the other styles over her head. She's still very frightened of them and getting her into the car is still a trial. So weird where these sudden fears came from.

I think our teething is over, so anyone going through it now - it will get better! It really calmed down for us a few weeks ago and she barely seems bothered now, if at all. It's been a looooong stretch though, really hoping we are definitely fully done!

Happypup's perfect fit harness was £39 (is he a smaller breed @puppygalore , I can't recall what dog you have) - but I'm hoping FINGERS CROSSED (!) that it's an investment because it comes in 3 separate pieces so hopefully as he grows i will only need to buy the pieces that get too small rather than a whole new harness. I haven't got it yet, it's just been posted so I'll let you know whether I think it's worth it!

Tbh the amount of collars/harnesses we have been through, I sometimes feel I should have been paid to test them! We went for a walk today and his harness is absolutely sopping - we only have one that fits so I'm really hoping the other one arrives tomorrow!

And sorry to hear about your job @puppygalore . Such tough times at the moment :(

Thank you @HappyThursdays I am disappointed about it, however did feel like it was too good to be true when I was offered it back in Nov - and it seems it was! It's in a primary school so if we are locking down I'm assuming I won't hear from them again 😕

Pup is currently a 20kg Lab and growing ever more by the day so probably that's why the pieces of harness would be dearer when I costed it - can't remember your breed either sorry!

Rang the vets earlier and booked her in for a pre-neuter check up - I'm hoping if tonight is a lockdown announcement that vet appts can still go ahead!

Our puppy classes have been cancelled following the Scottish announcement earlier we only did our first class on Saturday. Our daycare guy has recommended a Zoom class so hopefully we can get booked in before she falls too far behind. She's already pretty old to start puppy training and I felt some of the stuff from Saturday was boring her.

Interesting to hear about the teething @HappyThursdays, we're 18 weeks so you're about a month ahead of us. Useful to know what to expect! She's only lost one front tooth that I know of but I've noticed her starting to go to chew the corner of walls recently so it must be starting to bother her.

Ah yes that makes sense - Happypup is a working cocker but doesn't have much more to grow. He's 12.5kg at 5 months but is likely to only be 16.5kg at fully grown size so I feel he's nearly there whereas your lab has got a longer way to go and I can see why his harness would have been dearer.

Yes I think you're right re schools :(, it's all so up in the air at the moment :(. Still you would hope someone could have replied to you to let you know :(.

@ashmts sorry to hear about them being cancelled. Ours got cancelled in the first lockdown and I found it more upsetting than I probably should have done!

We had our assessment session with our dog trainer this morning. It went really well and she has given us a few tips which he has picked up already. We are starting 5 x 1:1s on Thursday to learn some impulse control stuff plus working on me leaving him and also some walking work.

After she left I took him for a work and tried leave it/drop it every time he put something in his mouth (i was just removing it before in panic) he learnt it within about a minute, by the time we got round the corner he was running over to every leaf, pretending to put it in his mouth then sitting for a treat on the couple of occasions he put a stone in his mouth even after me saying leave it l, I tried drop it and he let it fall out of his mouth. It was a much more enjoyable walk.

We have had a couple of great nights but last night he seemed restless. I wonder if he could be cold, alternatively it is probably a case of me just hearing him stir rather than him needing any attention.

@PugInTheHouse that sounds like a great result! How long did it take your pup to master leave it and drop it? We're working on them now but it's slow going.

@MyRabbit79 We have only been on 2 x 15 min walks since starting it, he understood it within a minute or two, he certainly hasn't stopped doing it but if he doesn't leave it, he is dropping it every time and understood enough after a couple of mins to pretend to go to eat a leaf just to get a treat when he didn't touch it. It is pretty tiring (for me not him haha) as he is trying to eat something off the ground about every 5 seconds

@PugInTheHouse that's amazing! We're not on walks yet so learning in the house but I can already tell everything goes out of the window when he's distracted.

@MyRabbit79 yes we have that issue too so I was surprised at how quickly he picked it up, I think before we were not being determined enough. Same with the biting and trying to get him to switch to a toy, basically we are being as determined as him now and it seems to be working. This was our 7th day of walking but we are only doing really short walks so far.

@PugInTheHouse that's amazing, how clever!

We are still working on drop/out, Pup doesn't give 2 hoots for it and won't do it. Leave it she's grasped, but will only do it if it suits her. My 1-1 trainer started it with her on a longline, placed treats down, encouraged her to come and rewarded her for that or pulled to divert her if she went the wrong way, and she totally got it so fast. How can she get that so fast but 5 months plus still can't get drop/out?! Now every feed I practise 'leave it' and she knows she's allowed when I say 'get it' which I'm happy about...doesn't translate to all situations though

Pup has been a total tearaway today because I'm trying to give more attention to the kids. I think she's got used to H being around more over Xmas, so 1 of us could be with her and 1 with the kids. I felt torn in 2 today and yesterday. Usually she plays fine in the garden with her toys or digs in her mud patch if I need to be with the kids, but today she was on one and very unhappy about the lack of attention. She's pulled up loads of our fake grass and tried to shred it. So now need that repairing, gutted. I'm thinking about getting her in for 1-2 days a week at daycare or maybe a few sessions with a dog Walker if I can find anyone with availability, even though I can't start my job or reopen my business. I feel guilty about palming her off whilst I'm at home, but tonight told DH I can't physically be watching, exercising and training the puppy whilst trying to entertain and homeschool a needy Reception child and reluctant year 1 child for the next few weeks - or months! Today's grass shredding happened in the blink of an eye so just proves my point - him paying for doggy daycare is technically an investment to save us any more damage. Fingers crossed somewhere can take her.

We are a long way off still, he has no real recall yet, he will come to us if we call or for a treat indoors but outdoors is so much more distracting. We have a long line but he is only just allowed out on grass from tomorrow so we havent tried it. We have out first proper 1:1 training on Thursday so will get more advice then. She said learning impulse control indoors will help but who knows how it will go.

He definitely picks things up quickly so I am hoping he will keep doing ok

Can I ask your tried and tested ways of teaching leave it / drop it please? DPup eats everything!

did anyone watch the Dogs Behaving Very Badly on Ch5 last night? It was really good! I've seen a few of his episodes before but will go back and watch some of the others

happy pup continues to be a happy delight however I am now really worried about the impact of lockdown on him. Beforehand, when we were in tier2, we had got used to leaving him for short periods, then we hit tier4 and now with lockdown there is always someone here.

I went for a run yesterday and left dp with him and apparently he cried/barked for 20 mins which he hasn't done before - I think we are going to have to go back to square 1 and start leaving him for short periods and building up again